More than three decades after a young law school graduate was found murdered in his home, his brutal 1990 killing remains an unsolved mystery that continues to haunt investigators to this day.
Robert Spann, 27, was a 1989 graduate of the William Mitchell College of Law (now known as Mitchell Hamline) who served as president of the Black Law Students Association. According to his brother, Spann had dreamed of being a lawyer since he was a young boy “to help other people,” and had been planning to take the bar exam. Unfortunately, tragedy struck before he was able to do so.
Spann lived with his girlfriend, a Minneapolis city attorney, and her teenage son. After returning from school on November 6, 1990, he discovered Spann’s body. The Pioneer Press has additional details:
Spann was shot and stabbed, and robbery was a possible motive as monetary items were taken from the residence, according to a cold case playing card highlighting Spann’s case that was distributed by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
“Today we remember Robert Spann and his loved ones,” Alyssa Arcand, a St. Paul police spokeswoman, said on the anniversary of Spann’s death. “Thirty-five years without closure for this case is 35 years too long. … Even the smallest piece of information could lead to justice for Robert.”
St. Paul police are asking anyone with information to call them at 651-266-5650.
35 years since law school grad found dead in St. Paul home, homicide still unsolved [Pioneer Press]
Staci Zaretsky is the managing editor of Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or connect with her on LinkedIn.
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